To say that the Nexus 4 and the HTC DROID DNA are currently the hottest Android phones would be a huge understatement. Google’s having a hard time keeping up with demand for the Nexus 4, and the 5-inch 1080p display on the DROID DNA almost seems too perfect to be real. While there’s a huge difference in design and software, the HTC DROID DNA and Nexus 4 are pretty similar on the inside. Both phones and powered by a quad-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and have 2GB of RAM. On the software side, the Nexus 4 is running stock Android 4.2 while the DROID DNA is loaded with Android 4.1. and HTC Sense 4+.

We know most of you would cheer for the Nexus 4 if these two phones were to battle to the death, but is the Nexus 4 really a better phone? While the internal specs of the two devices are identical, the Nexus 4′s main advantage should be its stock Android 4.2 software, devoid of any manufacturer tweaks or bloatware that can slow the system down. The HTC DROID DNA, on the other hand, comes with Sense 4+, a notorious systems resource hog. But how do the two phones compare when put through a series of standard benchmark tests?

The HTC DROID DNA comes out on top.

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That’s right. HTC’s new flagship phone with its 5-inch 1080p display somehow manages to best the Nexus 4. But how is this possible? Shouldn’t the Nexus 4 running stock Android beat a competing phone running an older version of Android with a custom UI? In theory, yes. But there’s a bit more at play here.

According to a few tests performed by AnandTech, the Nexus 4′s performance during benchmark tests is compromised due to thermal throttling. It turns out that the Nexus 4′s software is able to identify when the processor is working too hard and is able to modify the clock speed in an effort to reduce power consumption. AnandTech was able to confirm their theory by taking the Nexus 4, putting it inside a ZipLock bag and throwing it into a freezer to run a second set of benchmark scores, which produced much better results.

So is the HTC DROID DNA more powerful than the Nexus 4? It’s hard to say. If you live in Minnesota and plan on using your Nexus 4 outside when it’s -18° in the middle of February, you’ll probably be able to match the benchmark scores from the HTC DROID DNA. Unfortunately, -18° days don’t come around that often. In the real world, the thermal throttling of the Nexus 4 will always allow the DROID DNA to score higher benchmark scores. But does that really matter? Benchmark scores only give us a baseline for the maximum performance output of a phone under a very specific set of circumstances.

The numbers say that the HTC DROID DNA is more powerful than the Nexus 4, but does that make it a better phone? That’s up to you to decide. What do you want more? Stock Android directly from Google or the world’s most amazing display?

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Benchmark scores are completely synthetic and, largely theoretical. They’re also heavily influenced by optimizations in the software. In other words, they’re not really all that important. Who cares if the Nexus 4 scored less than the Droid DNA? At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is how your phone performs in real world use. If you don’t perceive any lag or slowdown in your daily usage of the phone, that’s all that matters.

The last part is all I really care about for my smartphone. Yes I want the latest and greatest, but I don’t care how the benchmarks compare to the competition as long as my phone handles everything I throw at it.

Totally agree, but I also need battery life, especially if you can’t replace the battery. I’m not sure that this is going to have the stamina that most people need given the processing power that that screen requires.

That’s why I said “Benchmark scores only give us a baseline for the maximum performance output of a phone under a very specific set of circumstances.”

Most people will not be able to notice a significant performance difference between the Nexus 4 and DROID DNA. The only time the DNA may have the real advantage is when you’re playing graphic heavy 3D games for a long period of time. It would be interesting to see if the Nexus 4′s frame rate suffers when playing games like ShadowGun.

I just want to start off by saying that I agree with you Ardrid – 100%

However what if these scores had been flipped, and the Nexus was the one scoring consistently higher than the DNA? Would we then be so dismissive of the scores? or would we embrace the results with open arms?

Also, while the function to limit consumption and speed is brilliant, I shouldnt have to throw it in a ziploc bag and use the freezer as a toggle button for ‘on and off’. Im in South FL and so ill never experience those low temps – so am I going to have to root so I can control the over/underclocking of my processor to make sure I get the full use out of its potential all the time?

Again, I couldnt care less about the benchmark scores but since they basically have the same innards – that Margin is way too big to simply dismiss – Imo.

I would personally take the same approach regardless of who the “winnder” was. What’s interesting here is we know that thermal throttling is the primary reason for these results. We also know what the S4 Pro is capable of based on the Optimus G. What I’d be interested in seeing, once people get devices in their hands, is whether that thermal throttling kicks in during ordinary use or gaming and whether it has an impact on perceptible performance. At this point, the only time reviewers have noted it is when running extremely stressful tests. If the thermal throttling has an impact on daily use, then the benchmarks carry more weight. If it doesn’t, then the benchmarks are nothing more numbers.

It’s not just the scores. There must be a reason why Google/LG decided to throttle the speed of the phone. Maybe they just couldn’t make the phone stable w/o that. If so, the life span of the phone becomes questionable because even though they throttle the phone, make no mistakes, it will still run hot — how would that affect the phone in the long run is an unknown.

The basic reason is that every modern chip has a thermal threshold that exists to prevent the device from overheating and causing permanent damage to the chipset. It’s hard to know why this phone seems to be hitting that threshold when others (Droid DNA, Optimus G) based on the same SoC aren’t.

I haven’t compared dimensions but I don’t believe the Nexus 4 is drastically different from the Optimus G. The excess heat could be related to the choice of materials used to create the shell but, again, the Optimus G is using the same materials and doesn’t have the problem. One thing the Nexus 4 lacks is the Optimus G’s eco-mode, which would presumably regulate chip speeds and temperature. Not having that feature might be why the Nexus 4 throttles where the Optimus G doesn’t. It’s hard to know without a deep dive into the hardware/software of both devices though.

I wouldn’t worry about long-term impact on the phone though. These chips are designed to withstand stress that goes beyond the typical thermal threshold.

Physics would agree with you. It’s a pretty novel idea, building functionality into the core system like that when it was previously only achievable via root apps. It would be nice if it was configurable for the power users like most of us though.

I think I will be getting the DNA, being on VZW and all. It already has root, which is a step in the right direction. Hopefully the Devs will get an AOSP build on the handset before too long. That’s when I want to see the benchmarks.

Overall it goes down to personal experience. I will be trying Sense out…I don’t know if I will like it or not…but I will have to deal with it until they get a working build.

Nice. Thank you for the link. This phone is looking nicer and nicer. I think I will take the good with the bad. Since I will be buying it outright (to keep my unlimited data), if something better comes along I will sell the DNA and buy the upgrade.

The DNA CURRENTLY has root. I will be pleasantly surprised if it STILL has root upon release. As soon as Big Red gets wind of the unlockable bootloader, which they probably already know, it will be locked up tight just like the did with Inc 4g. I hope I am way off base, but with VZW’s bootloader history I’m guessing it will be patched prior to sale. Again, I hope I’m wrong.

The trick is to set the phone up yourself, not let the VZW rep do it. They will get the phone and take the OTA update that will patch the hole. Believe me, I will not be letting them touch this phone. Besides i hate when the reps open up my phone box and start messing with my phone. I am not some idiot who can’t figure out where the power is. It’s my 600$, stop touching my phone.

I am very adamant about my phones. The first time I bought my Tbolts, the rep looked at me crazy because I straight up told them I will be rooting my phone. They told me “that will void your warranty.” I said, “I don’t care, I hate sense”. She blinked and handed me my phones. I said “Thank you”; went home and rooted & rom’d.

Before i said this, she wanted to put more bloat on it…”oh you will need this battery defender, and this app too.” I looked at her like she was crazy…”ummm…no I don’t…”

I will stop ranting now…so yeah…hopefully I will be buying it within the first week here, so I can try to get an uncompromised one.

The idea of lowering clock speed to lower power consumption is great. In the end we all want longer battery life but given that this is stock Android I would love to see an option to disable it. There is one for screen brightness. Why shouldn’t there be one for cpu speed.

I suspect Verizon users have no choice but to get the DNA as the N4 is incompatible with Vz network. Sucks to be you guys! AOSP is way better than a molested and sodomized version of Android, regardless if AOSP get inferior benchmark scores – which are not indicative of real world performance anyway. I’ll be licking Key Lime Pie from my fingers while DNA users are still praying and cursing to the Verizon lords for an update.

I’ve had my Nexus 7 for only a couple months and already received 2 updates – 4.1.2 and now running the awesomeness of 4.2.

Reasonable price non subsidized high in phones are here and Im taking advantage of it!

Never thought I’d say this but with only 16GB ‘on-paper’ storage on both of these phones I’m gonna say PASS. What good does the latest OS or shit-hot performance do, when both phones are crippled in terms of what you can store on it. I got used to the whole no memory card thing when I got my 32GB GNex … but this is just stupid.

On androidpolice, they tried to freeze the Nexus 4 and run the benchmarks while frozen in the freezer and it did not affect the benchmarks results at all. Something else must be at play here, since every review have said how incredibly fast and responsive the phone feels, yet why don’t the benchmarks reflect that?

because benchmarks were never a great way of tellin how the phone will perform in real world usage. I have Samsung and HTC phones that can score more than 3000 on quadrant yet it is nowhere as smooth as the Galaxy Nexus w/c only scores 2,000 on stock rom.

judging from different reviews and videos about the Nexus 4 and the droid DNA, the Nexus 4 is snappier and faster in almost all the task thrown at it. It’s very obvious, the response time you get from the droid DNA is slower than the Nexus 4. The Verge for example said it is nowhere near the smoothness of the Nexus 4.

My point is, benchmarks are never a great way of telling how a pone will perform. I had phones that can score almost 4,000 on quadrant but it is far from the smoothness a stock Galaxy Nexus will give you.

I think i have said this before but anyway. Benchmarks are good for a number of things: if The ui on your phone is lagging you should really try another phone thats just not really an issue anymore and while i get The faster CPU=faster ui thought, its just not The case. The userinterface performance is dependent mostly on programming and very very little hardware. That said there is a hudge gap in graphical performance and visuals on games and apps running Android. Most people think a game like nova or predators are The bedst Android can do, if you look at polygon count and texture fillrates, games like horn, massefect infiltrtor and shadowgun are far past that and will nede a beter GPU and CPU to run. And lets be honest you are not going to sit around all day looking at The ui only.